Enemies Silenced. (A)The day before, JESUS made HIS triumphal entry into Jerusalem,

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1 Enemies Silenced Matthew 21:23-27 The Context: (A)The day before, JESUS made HIS triumphal entry into Jerusalem, sitting upon an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass (Matthew 21:1-11) in fulfillment of prophecies of: Genesis 49:10-11a, Zechariah 9:9 and Malachi 3:1. (B) The day before, JESUS cleansed the temple by casting out the money changers (Matthew 21:12-15) in fulfillment of Malachi 3:1-5 (C) The day before, JESUS has again healed the blind and the lame in the temple Matthew 21:14 in fulfillment of Isaiah 35:3 ff. V: 23 (A) The chief priests and the elders are quick to investigate as they did John the Baptist John 1:15-34 (B) But they are slow to believe. Did they believe the messenger or forerunner s John the Baptist s testimony about baptism? (C) I believe in order to obey I obey in order to believe. (D) JESUS is now in the temple, but let s see if they believed the Messenger cf: Malachi 3:1ff V: 24 How could they deal with HIS authority as MESSIAH, if they couldn t deal with the messenger s (John s) authority? as found in Malachi 3:1 V: There was no safe response, so their answer is to be evasive. V: 27

2 How can we expect to know more, when we won t take action on what we have? Psalms 119:32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart. Now, we have the context for the following two parables: THE PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS Matthew 21:28-32 Remember, JESUS is talking to religious leaders who were not doing what they claimed they believed (the Old Testament) and who refused to follow the guidance they had from the messenger John the Baptist! V: 28 (A) A certain man is obviously GOD. (B) The vineyard of the Lord is Israel. Isaiah 5:1 Isaiah 5:7 For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts [is] the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. V:29-30 These two responses are the responses of GOD S people throughout the ages! V: 31 (A) Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. Matthew 6:10.

3 (B) God s will is that we bear fruit souls (John 15:1-8) and our sanctification or Christian Character Thessalonians 4:3 from the heart - Ephesians 6:6 & Galatians 5:22 (D) GOD can make you perfect in every good work to do HIS will... Hebrews 13:20-21 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 4 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen. Go work today in my vineyard! V:32 Non-faith the blackest of all sins Is to hear the word of GOD and fail to repent that ye might believe. John 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. THE PARABLE OF THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN Matthew 21:33-46 V:33 (A) A certain householder is God who planted the vineyard Israel Psalm 80:8-9 Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. 80:9 Thou preparedst [room] before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. (B) The pastors and husbandmen would destroy the vineyard.

4 Jeremiah 12:10 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. V: 34 (A) The prophets had come to claim the peaceful fruits of righteousness. Isaiah 1:21 How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. (B) But there had occurred a change in the hearts of the husbandmen, from his vineyard, to our vineyard. V: 35 (A) There will be no harvest without us, it s our vineyard, we ve done the work! (B) Anger and greed capture the hearts of the husbandmen. Acts 7:51-54 & Hebrews 11:32-39 And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and [of] Barak, and [of] Samson, and [of] Jephthae; [of] David also, and Samuel, and [of] the prophets: 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: 36 And others had trial of [cruel] mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; 38 (Of whom the world was not

5 worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and [in] mountains, and [in] dens and caves of the earth. 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: V: 36 We ve gone too far to stop now! Matthew 14:10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison. V: 37 The landowner s son comes to the vineyard riding upon an ass, and a upon a colt, the foal of an ass cf: Zechariah 9:9 & Matthew 21:1-1 ff. V:38 Do you realize what we can do now? This is the heir! It s his legacy the ownership of the vineyard is transferred to the son! Kill him and it s ours! John 11: Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 48 If we let him thus alone, all [men] will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. 49 And one of them, [named] Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all, 50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. V: 39 Hebrews 13:11-12 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate V: 40

6 Will they condemn their own selves? Matthew 12:34-37 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. 36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned V: 41 They told the truth God did exactly that which they spoke. (A) God allowed Titus of Rome to destroy both Jerusalem and the temple in 70 AD just as Daniel the Prophet had said would be the result of the MESSIAH being cut off (killed). Daniel 9:26 And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof [shall be] with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. (B) GOD cast away Israel Romans 11:15 For if the casting away of them [be] the reconciling of the world, what [shall] the receiving [of them be], but life from the dead? Just as the prophet Isaiah had said HE would Cf: Isaiah 62:2 And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name. Isaiah 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name:

7 Acts 4:11-12 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. 12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 11:1 And the apostles and brethren that were in Judaea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. V: 42 Justice you may reject the stone (SON). Psalms 118:22 The stone [which] the builders refused is become the head [stone] of the corner. But GOD will lay the stone (SON). Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. V: 44 JESUS is the stone! Isaiah 8:13-15 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and [let] him [be] your fear, and [let] him [be] your dread.14 And he shall be for a sanctuary; but for a stone of stumbling and for a rock of offence to both the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.15 And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. V: 45 Amazing insight!

8 I Peter 2:5-9 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 1 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.7 Unto you therefore which believe [he is] precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 2 8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, [even to them] which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: